Bryan Chapman 600km BRM + others | 17/18/19th May 2024 | Chepstow

[willpom gwraudax]

Entries will open on 1st December - click image for details and entry.



Old discussions can be found here.

[TomAplomb]

Looking forward to it!

[Wycombewheeler]

entered, and I didn't have to go hunting round the house for a chequebook

[Ian H]

entered, and I didn't have to go hunting round the house for a chequebook

Where's the fun in that?

[Ajax Bay]

Entries will open on 1st December - click image for details and entry.
Old discussions can be found here.

"600km cycling event starting from Chepstow. Controls at Bronllys, Llangurig, Dolgellau, Menai Bridge, Dolgellau, Aberdyfi and Chepstow, plus 2 information controls."
https://www.audax.uk/event-details/10222-bryan_chapman_memorial
https://www.pedalution.co.uk/events/bryan-chapman-memorial-600/
"This long distance cycling event is a journey the length of Wales from Chepstow to Menai Bridge and back."
NW and up Usk Valley; left-flanking round the Black Mountains; N to Staylittle via Llangurig;over the Machynlleth Mountain Road and N to Dolgellau (Kings YH for food); across Barmouth Bridge N through Harlech into Snowdonia. From Pen y Pass the scary descent to/past Llanberis to Menai Bridge 'half way' control (food).
West of Snowdon and in darkness back to Kings YH - sleep options either here or at the next control at Aberdyfi; E to Newtown; then an easy climb up and over to Knighton and Presteigne and SE then S to the Wye: great finish passing Tintern Abbey back to Chepstow.

[Wycombewheeler]

From Pen y Pass the scary descent to/past Llanberis

[Lightning Phil]

There be dragons 🐉…

[tonyh]

There also be those rather vicious stone walls...

...and the Cromlech Boulders might spring out at you if you were hallucinating.

[mattc]

There be dragons 🐉…

If Wycombewheeler didn't see them, he was probably asleep. A lucky escape, I hope he thanks the gods (/dragons) the next time he passes through.

[Hot Flatus]

From Pen y Pass the scary descent to/past Llanberis

That's not the scary one.

The scary one is the plummet on day 2 to Dinas Mawdddy

[Wycombewheeler]

There be dragons 🐉…

If Wycombewheeler didn't see them, he was probably asleep. A lucky escape, I hope he thanks the gods (/dragons) the next time he passes through.

maybe they were disguised as sheep, very cunning.

[Jasmine]

From Pen y Pass the scary descent to/past Llanberis

That's not the scary one.

The scary one is the plummet on day 2 to Dinas Mawdddy

Looks like the new route won't go down that one. From Dolgellau the return leg now goes to the coast at Aberdyfi (which is a really lovely route if the weather is kind).

Coming down that road from Cross Foxes to Dinas Mawddwy is the fastest I've ever been on a bike - 67mph on a tandem. I'd agree that is a scarier descent than down Pen y Pass, except that PyP has an s-bend over a bridge in the middle of the descent, which is extremely hairy at speed on a tandem.

[Wycombewheeler]

Looks like the new route won't go down that one. From Dolgellau the return leg now goes to the coast at Aberdyfi (which is a really lovely route if the weather is kind).

Judging by my past experience of cycling in Wales (2xBCM, 2x brevet Cymru, lakes and snowdon, Dragon Ride, acme grand) suncream will be in more demand than rain jackets*, so I'll look forward to that. Also, living far from the sea, any road by the coast is a treat.

*heavy rain sometimes occurs, but majority of rides are warm and sunny. I remember being drenched on the last climb of BCM, only to descend into chepstow to find the roads bone dry and locals cycling in short sleeves.

[Ian H]

Looks like the new route won't go down that one. From Dolgellau the return leg now goes to the coast at Aberdyfi (which is a really lovely route if the weather is kind).

Judging by my past experience of cycling in Wales (2xBCM, 2x brevet Cymru, lakes and snowdon, Dragon Ride, acme grand) suncream will be in more demand than rain jackets*, so I'll look forward to that. Also, living far from the sea, any road by the coast is a treat.

*heavy rain sometimes occurs, but majority of rides are warm and sunny. I remember being drenched on the last climb of BCM, only to descend into chepstow to find the roads bone dry and locals cycling in short sleeves.

There's usually more than one kind of weather on a long event.

[Nuncio]

From Pen y Pass the scary descent to/past Llanberis

Bikey-Mikey came a-cropper coming down there 12 or so years ago, and was hospitalized. Can't remember the cause.

And I remember a Devon rider's brakes becoming ineffective in the wet, and her riding partner (Richard from Cardiff?) having to catch up with her to pull her to slow her down before that bend/bridge. I can't remember her name now. Ian H probably can.

To state the obvious, it's a different descent in the gloom (or dark) when you might be beginning to tire, than it is in the light and dry, or when you're refreshed (after two hours fitful sleep on the floor of the YH common room, lungs full of fart vapour).  It's been a while, but I think I used to be able to let myself go down the Dinas Mawddy descent in a way which I couldn't on the other. Never got anywhere 67mph but I remember one occasion a strong gust through a gap in a hedge forced a sudden re-appraisal of my optimum speed.

[Bairdy]

From Pen y Pass the scary descent to/past Llanberis

Bikey-Mikey came a-cropper coming down there 12 or so years ago, and was hospitalized. Can't remember the cause.

He never got to the bottom of the cause, it wasn't on the descent it was beyond that nearer to the Vaynol Arms.
I was up there on a walking holiday a week later and there were road works along that section, so it was quite narrow in places. I think it was 2012.

[willpom gwraudax]

Entries will open on 1st December - click image for details and entry.



Old discussions can be found here.

25 spaces remain on the Bryan Chapman Memorial 600 BRM​. Entries close evening of Sunday 7th May. Once full I'll run a waiting list with the same criteria I've used before: you join the waiting list as if you enter; if someone drops out you are automatically added in order of joining; if a space becomes available after the Wednesday before the event I'll contact you to check first and if not pass it on to the next; a full refund will be given to all that don't get a space from the waiting list.

**UPDATE** Innage Farm (for the start)

Camping Friday night: £7 tent - £10 van
Parking Saturday & Sunday: £5

[vorsprung]

From Pen y Pass the scary descent to/past Llanberis

Bikey-Mikey came a-cropper coming down there 12 or so years ago, and was hospitalized. Can't remember the cause.

I was there and I don't think anyone knows the cause.  It is a fast descent and there are often odd lumps of stone in the road.  Just take it easy and it's fast and fun

[vorsprung]

Looks like the new route won't go down that one. From Dolgellau the return leg now goes to the coast at Aberdyfi (which is a really lovely route if the weather is kind).

Judging by my past experience of cycling in Wales (2xBCM, 2x brevet Cymru, lakes and snowdon, Dragon Ride, acme grand) suncream will be in more demand than rain jackets

HAHAHA

[Hot Flatus]

We could get any sort of weather.

Unlikely to be wall to wall sunshine.

[TomAplomb]

Does anyone have a rough route?

[willpom gwraudax]

The outline is on the event page. https://www.pedalution.co.uk/events/bryan-chapman-memorial-600/

Final checks will be done on the helpers ride 2 weeks prior and any amendments made. Everyone who has signed up will then have access to GPX route with control WPs, fully curated route notes in PDF & CSV, through RWGPS Event (even with a free subscription) you'll also get all premium features so FIT, TCX, KML, PDF notes+map inserts, ability to sync with other devices, use of the RWGPS app with offline maps & voice nav etc etc.

[vorsprung]

Does anyone have a rough route?

I had a look at it earlier but the route over view isn't there atm

My vague impression which might be wrong is that the route follows the old 2004 route to Abergavenny, Talgath, Builth Wells, Rhayder mainly on A roads.  At the RBT near Llangurig it goes R inland to Llanidoes and we are off the classic route.  Machynlleth then I guess it goes N past the renewable energy place over the top to Cross Foxes.  Then down to Kings YHA.

Then there is a loop to Menai

Outbound it's Penrhyndeudraeth, Beddgelert, Llanberis.   Coming back via the A4085 to Beddgelert, then Penrhyndeudraeth but back via the A470 to Dolgellau

Then you have a kip at Kings YHA

Getting back to Chepstow is slightly different to other routes because there is the novel use of the coast road to Aberdyfi.  Then it goes back to Machynlleth, then Newtown and cuts towards just below Hereford.

I would imagine that this section will be a bit difficult.

The road it joins near Hereford is a series of large hills going to Monmouth which sounds grim but it's really nice.

Can't remember how it goes after Monmouth but there are various nice routes back to Chepstow including along the A road and past the race course

It's an new route but I think it could be a good one, if a little hillier than some

[Graeme]

The route overview is there... just keep scrolling. It is a zoomable map:
https://www.pedalution.co.uk/events/bryan-chapman-memorial-600/

[mattc]

The outline is on the event page. https://www.pedalution.co.uk/events/bryan-chapman-memorial-600/

Final checks will be done on the helpers ride 2 weeks prior and any amendments made. Everyone who has signed up will then have access to GPX route with control WPs, fully curated route notes in PDF & CSV, through RWGPS Event (even with a free subscription) you'll also get all premium features so FIT, TCX, KML, PDF notes+map inserts, ability to sync with other devices, use of the RWGPS app with offline maps & voice nav etc etc.

Good stuff!

Can you please explain how you expect to run the Start Time  Allocation? (4am-6am is mentioned). I've been dead honest with my estimated riding speed, it would be nice to plan with actual start time in mind - 4am is very different to 6am!

(This may start an LEL-style gamification of the system ... )